Zanthan GardensWeblog of a Central Austin Garden

Dateline: 2007 “The 26 degrees was only 8 degrees away from the all time low of 18 degrees for that date at the airport, which was set in 1989 (which was a year that Austin hit the all-time low for December of 4 degrees. Yes, 4).” — AAS December 16, 2007 But in Clarksville, the […]

“The 26 degrees was only 8 degrees away from the all time low of 18 degrees for that date at the airport, which was set in 1989 (which was a year that Austin hit the all-time low for December of 4 degrees. Yes, 4).” — AAS December 16, 2007

But in Clarksville, the low was only 30.6 between 7:02 and 7:11 this morning. It was only 32 or below between 4:43 and 8:02. I think the newspaper was being unnecessarily dramatic over what was a light freeze for a few hours.

There was ice on the birdbath but not on the pond or the metal wash basin near the house. All the Cosmos sulphureus in the lower and upper meadows froze but only about half of them in the west border. Some nearly sprouted Cosmos bipinnatus seem fine. The snap beans all froze; I picked the beans last night. Two small nasturtiums in the crescent bed look damaged but the larger ones in the west border look fine. The leaves on the banana trees froze (I’d wrapped them on Thursday) except for the two southmost ones which are closest to the house. The aloes next to the east retaining wall by the front door did not seem to freeze although earlier in the season they were nipped with cold.

Later in the week it is more obvious that the leaves of the white ginger and the coral bean are streaked with frost damage.

The leaves are finally of the cedar elms so the yard is sunny and cheerful. The leaves on the oaks are turning ruddy. My neighbor has an oak with burnt orange leaves that he says is a Spanish oak. By Tuesday (12/18) the high is 76°F; Thursday (12/20), 74°F; and Friday (12/21), 76°F. I spend these beautiful days planting Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’ among the banana plants and transplanting bachelor buttons and larkspur in the meadow.

So many larkspur seedlings have popped up that I feel silly ever worrying about them. I have more than enough to fill the entire yard and to share, too. However, the bluebonnets are very sparse this year. If it were not for the score of bluebonnets that over-summered, I’d hardly have any plants. One began blooming on December 15th.

Dateline: 2006
Sunday December 17, 2006
By afternoon it was 80F. We eat the first cherry tomato with salad.

Dateline: 2001
The day is clear, dry, and not so cold as forecasted. In short, it is perfect for working outdoors. I clear the paths of weeds before laying down the mulch and AJM splits firewood.

Dateline: 2000
Sunday December 17, 2000
Damn. I manage to save all the plants against the ice storm last Tuesday and then, because success breeds complaisance, I let the tender perennials freeze back last night. The brugmansia, the Tecoma stans, and Pandorea are frozen back.

Dateline: 1998
Monday December 21, 1998
Morning is warm and wet and it is difficult to believe that winter is bearing down on us. But all the forecasts predict that a severe arctic cold front will arrive by this afternoon and stick around with ice and sleet for days. I take the afternoon off to take care of the garden. From the newspaper, “At 5 p.m., Austin posted a temperature of 74 degrees. About three hours later, it was 38 degrees in the city and still dropping.”

Wednesday December 23, 1998
The storm moves in with a light freezing rain, not very wet, but cold and too icy to drive. The plants are frozen solid and I don’t have much hope.

Dateline: 1997
Saturday December 20, 1997
Rains all day. Heavy thunderstorms and flood and tornado watches in the evening.

Dateline: 1996
Thursday December 19, 1996
After two nights of hard freezes, the garden has succumbed to winter.